Anyone owned E90 3 Series and happy to share experience?
Discussion
Hey guys,
Just doing some research into the E90 3 Series cars, trying to gauge how they rank against other cars in the used car market, considering these are all over 8 years old now I'd love to hear some experiences of previous owners (best models, running costs,etc)
Also would be interested to hear peoples view on the Pre-LCI (09) cars vs the latter years models.
Send pictures too please!
Just doing some research into the E90 3 Series cars, trying to gauge how they rank against other cars in the used car market, considering these are all over 8 years old now I'd love to hear some experiences of previous owners (best models, running costs,etc)
Also would be interested to hear peoples view on the Pre-LCI (09) cars vs the latter years models.
Send pictures too please!
I had a 330d M Sport Touring, easily the best all rounder I’ve owned.
It looked amazing, sounded good for a diesel, pulled like a train (was remapped), decent economy and tons of options.
I upgraded the CCC idrive to LCI (facelift) CIC version and it made a huge difference.
I’d happily have another E90/91 330d, 3d5d or 335i.
I did look at a rare coloured E91 335i Touring, I wish I’d got it now but being an SE it put me off
It looked amazing, sounded good for a diesel, pulled like a train (was remapped), decent economy and tons of options.
I upgraded the CCC idrive to LCI (facelift) CIC version and it made a huge difference.
I’d happily have another E90/91 330d, 3d5d or 335i.
I did look at a rare coloured E91 335i Touring, I wish I’d got it now but being an SE it put me off
I had an E90 330 (pre LCI) for a couple of years. It was brilliant to be honest. In the 30k we racked up in it, it needed little other than servicing and consumables other than one fault to do with the VANOS. I think that cost £290 to sort.
Being a pre LCI meant it had the N52 engine which is a bit more reliable than the later N53 at the expense of economy and higher VED. It had the ZF6 auto box which I didn’t mind until I drove an F30 with the ZF8. Fuel economy was low to mid 20’s around town and low 30’s on a run.
It didn’t have folding rear seats, so wasn’t the most practical car but it was fine as our first family car.
It’s probably the car that I miss the most. It was my favourite colour combo of Le Mans blue with lemon leather. Spec wasn’t great though auto, cruise, sunroof, Bluetooth and that was about it. The halogen headlights are s
te, like really ste.
Being a pre LCI meant it had the N52 engine which is a bit more reliable than the later N53 at the expense of economy and higher VED. It had the ZF6 auto box which I didn’t mind until I drove an F30 with the ZF8. Fuel economy was low to mid 20’s around town and low 30’s on a run.
It didn’t have folding rear seats, so wasn’t the most practical car but it was fine as our first family car.
It’s probably the car that I miss the most. It was my favourite colour combo of Le Mans blue with lemon leather. Spec wasn’t great though auto, cruise, sunroof, Bluetooth and that was about it. The halogen headlights are s
te, like really ste.When I was looking to replace my E46 325ti Compact back in 2018 I really fancied a Touring but couldn't find an E46 that wasn't looking crusty!
So I started looking for an E91. It had to be an early straight 6 manual with the N52 engine as I'd read that the later N53 had some common problems I wanted a 330i, but they were all nearly twice the price of 325is so I bought an 06 plate 325i SE on 132K but with full BMW SH. The engine was really smooth, revved happily and pulled well, but it just didn't feel as quick as my Compact did so after a year I sold it on 139K. Only issue I had was a dead electric water pump at 135K. It's a common issue on these but does cause overheating in about a mile and new pumps are £250 or so!
Anyway I looked at E91 330is and they were still demanding strong money so I talked myself into a 55 plate E90 (Saloon) 330iSE with 107K miles because I had only occassionally used the estate capability of my E91. It had good SH, just not all BMW but had a few useful options like Bi-Xenons (so much better than the Halogens) electric glass sunroof, split-fold rear seats and power-fold mirrors.
I still have it and thanks to Covid it has only done 115K miles now. It needed new rear shocks last year but given it's mileage they are just a consumable. Other than that just routine servicing and I'm really pleased with it.
One issue they can have is with the fuel tank vent splitting which gives off vapour fumes near the filler cap if you fill the tank. Stop around three-quarters full and it isn't a problem, although you can get it fixed! My E91 did have that but so far my E90 has been OK.
Apart from that I think they are very capable cars and much more refined that the E46s that have rust issues, although I still think the E46s are better looking!
So I started looking for an E91. It had to be an early straight 6 manual with the N52 engine as I'd read that the later N53 had some common problems I wanted a 330i, but they were all nearly twice the price of 325is so I bought an 06 plate 325i SE on 132K but with full BMW SH. The engine was really smooth, revved happily and pulled well, but it just didn't feel as quick as my Compact did so after a year I sold it on 139K. Only issue I had was a dead electric water pump at 135K. It's a common issue on these but does cause overheating in about a mile and new pumps are £250 or so!
Anyway I looked at E91 330is and they were still demanding strong money so I talked myself into a 55 plate E90 (Saloon) 330iSE with 107K miles because I had only occassionally used the estate capability of my E91. It had good SH, just not all BMW but had a few useful options like Bi-Xenons (so much better than the Halogens) electric glass sunroof, split-fold rear seats and power-fold mirrors.
I still have it and thanks to Covid it has only done 115K miles now. It needed new rear shocks last year but given it's mileage they are just a consumable. Other than that just routine servicing and I'm really pleased with it.
One issue they can have is with the fuel tank vent splitting which gives off vapour fumes near the filler cap if you fill the tank. Stop around three-quarters full and it isn't a problem, although you can get it fixed! My E91 did have that but so far my E90 has been OK.
Apart from that I think they are very capable cars and much more refined that the E46s that have rust issues, although I still think the E46s are better looking!
Mr Tidy said:
One issue they can have is with the fuel tank vent splitting which gives off vapour fumes near the filler cap if you fill the tank. Stop around three-quarters full and it isn't a problem, although you can get it fixed! My E91 did have that but so far my E90 has been OK.
Apart from that I think they are very capable cars and much more refined that the E46s that have rust issues, although I still think the E46s are better looking!
Mine had the split vent pipe. I never got around to getting it sorted.Apart from that I think they are very capable cars and much more refined that the E46s that have rust issues, although I still think the E46s are better looking!
N52 powered cars suffer from oil leaks too; oil cooler gasket, oil filter housing gasket, rocker cover, sump plus places like the valvetronic motor and valvetronic sensor.
I had a 335i for a few years. A 2009 manual, so a pretty rare model and I liked it. The iDrive was the later one and pretty good as it was easy to use.
It price quote pricey over the 3 years / 40k miles I had it, but the engine was great and the handling solid. Nothing amazing, but fun to drive and quick enough.
If you do get one, make sure it has sports seats as they are really comfortable and supportive. Also make sure it doesn't still have the runflat tyres.
It price quote pricey over the 3 years / 40k miles I had it, but the engine was great and the handling solid. Nothing amazing, but fun to drive and quick enough.
If you do get one, make sure it has sports seats as they are really comfortable and supportive. Also make sure it doesn't still have the runflat tyres.
MikeM6 said:
If you do get one, make sure it has sports seats as they are really comfortable and supportive. Also make sure it doesn't still have the runflat tyres.
Agree on sports seats - unfortunately I don’t have them which is a shame. Why would you make sure it doesn’t have run flats though? It will be a used car so to discard one from an already limited supply does not sound right. Just change them if you have to.
I own 2009 E90 330i manual. Great car, good build quality and handling. Mind you, it has only done 18k miles from new so has still that new car feel.
It is about the engine though. It is my first straight six petrol and I urge any car enthusiast to try one at some point. Sound, smoothness, power. Someone said somewhere that it sounds like ripping silk - I now know where’ we’re they coming from.
Our family wagon is a 2011 LCI E91 “sport plus” 320D auto - we’ve had it for 5 years, bought it at 35k miles, now on 75k. Apart from a couple of sticky rear callipers, it’s been absolutely rock solid and a great family car, plus always fun to drive
It’s probably time for something bigger and newer but for the life of me I can’t think what
For context, my own daily is a 996 turbo
It’s probably time for something bigger and newer but for the life of me I can’t think what
For context, my own daily is a 996 turbo
I can speak from my early E90 325i SE experience. Other than a DISA valve lunching itself at 130k miles and unusual oil consumption it was a smooth runner. It was testament to what BMW do best, making smooth inline 6 pots. Thankfully the DISA was not ingested by the engine and I caught it early as there was a metallic tinkering sound. I cleaned my VANOS at 80k and they were so dirty I replaced them. The car ran a lot better after that. Same here the ZF6 was nice but not like an 8 in the F30. Fuel economy was low mid 20’s mpg around town. Low 30’s on motorways. Oil consumption was around 1 litre every 1000 miles which I was told was “normal” and “they all do that sir.”
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 8th September 09:27
I had a '55 plate E91 320d M Sport from new for about 4.5 years - was my company car, and then I bought it from the lease company when my employer went under.
I ran it for 110k miles and it only ever had one issue with the breather pipe from the fuel tank (mentioned above). Other than that it was faultless and I was very fond of it - comfortable, handled nicely etc - if I'd have kept it longer I would have got rid of the runflats.
I kept an eye on it via the MOT site and it had covered 285k miles by the time it was last tested in Feb 2020 - seems it's now dead - RIP RF55 HWJ
I ran it for 110k miles and it only ever had one issue with the breather pipe from the fuel tank (mentioned above). Other than that it was faultless and I was very fond of it - comfortable, handled nicely etc - if I'd have kept it longer I would have got rid of the runflats.
I kept an eye on it via the MOT site and it had covered 285k miles by the time it was last tested in Feb 2020 - seems it's now dead - RIP RF55 HWJ
Had my E92 for three years now, recently test drove the 330e G20 and honestly, the E92 is still the car i want.
I cannot justify the price of the new car, even trying to make it work from a tax point of view.
The E series is peak BMW three for me, style is still great, and they have all the things a car needs without being too complicated.
Who really needs, radar cruise, electric tailgates, panoramic roofs etc
Im hoping to keep this for another three years and see what hapens with ICE vehicles and the vendetta inevitably coming for them.
There are plenty of really nicely looked after cars available to choose from, i would suggest getting 6 cyl though, without doubt.
The auto box is actuall fine too, after being serviced it suits the cars.
A good remap benefits them too, the amount of torque available from a 6 Cyl diesel is immense.
Buy the LCI, better headlights, diesel 6 is the N57 too so go for 325 or 330d and theyre the same engine on different software, and Idrive in those is superior, from year 2010 onwards.
I cannot justify the price of the new car, even trying to make it work from a tax point of view.
The E series is peak BMW three for me, style is still great, and they have all the things a car needs without being too complicated.
Who really needs, radar cruise, electric tailgates, panoramic roofs etc
Im hoping to keep this for another three years and see what hapens with ICE vehicles and the vendetta inevitably coming for them.
There are plenty of really nicely looked after cars available to choose from, i would suggest getting 6 cyl though, without doubt.
The auto box is actuall fine too, after being serviced it suits the cars.
A good remap benefits them too, the amount of torque available from a 6 Cyl diesel is immense.
Buy the LCI, better headlights, diesel 6 is the N57 too so go for 325 or 330d and theyre the same engine on different software, and Idrive in those is superior, from year 2010 onwards.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I had a 2007 335i. A great car but be prepared for costs.
I had a 2007 335i. A great car but be prepared for costs.
Own a 330i touring. Mine is a manual and has been excellent. However:
The base stereo is awful.
Run flats are poor, very poor.
Suspension after runflats is usually quite worn, so budget some work there.
N series engines are best avoided, especially the diesels.
I think the pre facelift models are better built, too and tend to have better engines. An early 320d,330d, or 325/330i I would say is the best bet.
At this age you need to buy on condition, too. Don’t go wanting an M sport or certain colours, just a good solid car. Early Nav can be facelifted, base stereo can be upgraded, and interior parts swapped.
If you’d like to read about my trials and tribulations of running one since 2019, and between 138 and 172,000 miles. Take a look below.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=18...
The base stereo is awful.
Run flats are poor, very poor.
Suspension after runflats is usually quite worn, so budget some work there.
N series engines are best avoided, especially the diesels.
I think the pre facelift models are better built, too and tend to have better engines. An early 320d,330d, or 325/330i I would say is the best bet.
At this age you need to buy on condition, too. Don’t go wanting an M sport or certain colours, just a good solid car. Early Nav can be facelifted, base stereo can be upgraded, and interior parts swapped.
If you’d like to read about my trials and tribulations of running one since 2019, and between 138 and 172,000 miles. Take a look below.
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=18...
Fiedka said:
...
I own 2009 E90 330i manual. Great car, good build quality and handling. Mind you, it has only done 18k miles from new so has still that new car feel.
It is about the engine though. It is my first straight six petrol and I urge any car enthusiast to try one at some point. Sound, smoothness, power. Someone said somewhere that it sounds like ripping silk - I now know where’ we’re they coming from.
I'm with you on the straight six, I'm on my 4th (E46 325i) and have vowed to never be without one, even if it's just sitting in the garage. They are sublime.I own 2009 E90 330i manual. Great car, good build quality and handling. Mind you, it has only done 18k miles from new so has still that new car feel.
It is about the engine though. It is my first straight six petrol and I urge any car enthusiast to try one at some point. Sound, smoothness, power. Someone said somewhere that it sounds like ripping silk - I now know where’ we’re they coming from.
It's strange how others don't seem to get it? Maybe it's not quite the same being a passenger compared to driving one, I don't know? But having an engine that is happy to go all the way to the redline makes a huge difference.
Quick question, are the Diesel sixes as nice a the Petrol sixes?
Court_S said:
That’s lovely. I’m a sucker for a nice E91.
Thanks, I wish I still had it!It turned as many heads as my Cosworth and RS4.
I had non run flats with Eibach Sport springs, the ride was perfect, firm but not harsh.
Mine also had the Hifi option, which while not the top one, it sounded excellent.
The only problems I had in 4 years were a sticking rear calliper, front wheel bearing and a failed xenon bulb.
Fantastic car that will definitely be on my short list next time I can find a late LCI.
I also had an LCI 320d M Sport Touring in Space grey. I loved it for all of its changes looks wise, but the engine was a disappointment.
It barely managed 5mpg more than my remapped 330d, and sounded terrible in comparison
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